*Official* English Football Season 2011-12

[sledger]

I remember being disappointed at losing Nasri earlier in the year, but (so far) he's another name on the long list of players who've left Arsenal and not lived up to their billing. I thought he would do much better than he has done, and still has time to turn it around, but the fact that the fortunes of Arsenal haven't suffered and the fortunes of City have hardly improved as a result of his transfer is rather telling of his contribution to both sides. Seems to be a bit of a Cinderella player at the moment (would fit in well at Spurs), so will be interesting to see if he can turn it around.

Similarly, on the subject of best teams. I'd say this Arsenal at full strength team is probably the best since the invincibles era.

 

[sledger]

And I think it's probably better than any of the teams we built around Van Nistelrooy too.

Dunno, the 02/03 team which overhauled Arsenal was pretty formidable.

Would have to agree about the current side though. Just repeatedly gets the job done. People can talk about how it's one of the worst United sides in years, but they've comprehensively demonstrated that they've got something about them.

 

[Uppercut]

Nasri reminds me of Alex Hleb a bit. People who get hard-ons over good technique love him but he's pretty ineffective in the final third. I wonder whether Ferguson wanted to turn him into a passing CM or use him as a winger.

 

[duffer]

Well you've certainly changed your tune haven't you...

.

Hindsight helps. I remembered the 4 months he was actually world class for us. Incredible to think teams have paid 36m in transfer fees on a guy who played well for 4 months in 4 seasons. Don;t miss him now. Has a weak chin anyway.

 

[duffer]

Anyway, he has all the skills and talent to match Silva, just none of the balls which is what this season has proven. Biggest flat track bully in the Premiership

 

[sledger]

Nasri reminds me of Alex Hleb a bit. People who get hard-ons over good technique love him but he's pretty ineffective in the final third. I wonder whether Ferguson wanted to turn him into a passing CM or use him as a winger.

Think Nasri is a lot better in the final third than Hleb tbh, scores loads more goals for a start, style of play is far more incisive as well. That said, I'd rate the amount of overall value they bring to a team through their general play as about equal. Reckon Hleb would have improved a lot had he stayed at Arsenal and played every week, though I guess we'll never know.

 

[sledger]

Anyway, he has all the skills and talent to match Silva, just none of the balls which is what this season has proven. Biggest flat track bully in the Premiership

Maybe, but doesn't have a footballing brain to match Silva's imo. You can see when he get's the ball, he's all about playing direct and swashbuckling through, Silva a lot more methodical and patient in possession.

 

[duffer]

Hleb did play every week but never developed any sort of end product. Was great at keeping possesion but nothing to show for it. Was so frustrating, another one with bucketloads of talent.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, I'd say the weaknesses in Nasri are the same as those in Hleb, but not as severe. He's very possession-oriented and likes to play at a slow pace in front of the defence, but in a role that advanced for teams that good going forward he should be making and scoring more goals.

Nominally he's playing on the wing, but he's not notably good at crossing, he can't really take a man on and he only rarely makes Pires-style runs inside the full-back to get goals. Maybe he's just out of position- at Arsenal he always seemed to come good when replacing Fabregas in the middle.

 

[BoyBrumby]

United are the least worst team in the Prem this year. Shouldn't let other teams' weaknesses obscure the fact they're very much a team in transition. They were bundled out of Yurp by Benfica & Basel, suffered a record reverse against a rampant Citeh in those early, glorious days before Citeh remembered they were Citeh and then had their arses handed to them by Athletic Bilbao.

They're without Vidic, De Gea isn't fit to sniff van der Saar's jockstrap, Fletcher's arse has literally fallen off, Hernadez has had a serious sophomore slump, Giggs, Ferdinand and Scholes are all a year older & central midfield is so problematic Jones and Rooney have been played there before Scholes came back.

Plusses are Carrick continuing his quiet effectiveness and Rooney.

 

[Uppercut]

Rooney's the anti-Nasri. Much like a lot of the best English players. Great positional sense and gets the team lots of goals but he's actually kinda terrible technically. RVP's in a whole other league.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

RVP is the best player in the Prem by a distance now that Torres isn't Torres anymore. If Aguero keeps improving he's a good shout at some stage assuming that RVP's leg falls of like it always does.

 

[Uppercut]

Hmm he's about a million times more likable but if I'm honest I think Aguero's been a pretty big step down from the Tevez of last season.

 

[Pothas]

That is assuming both Van Persie and Aguero stay in England of course, sure we will see both next year but after that it is hard to tell.

Despite doing so much worse in Europe I think it is fair to say United are better than they were last year as are City and Arsenal but it is still a relatively week year. La liga definetly stronger right now, Madrid and Barcelona are ridiculous and have an outrageous amount of the worlds best players but it really is very competitive below them.

 

[Pothas]

Hmm he's about a million times more likable but if I'm honest I think Aguero's been a pretty big step down from the Tevez of last season.

Tevez really did have a quite brilliant season last year, far better than he has ever shown before. Aguero has not come close to matching that but I think he is the more talented of the two.

Suarez should not be ignored either, if he was playing in a better side and was finishing better (not hitting the post all the time) he would be right up there,

 

[TT Boy]

Yeah, I think so too. This one just doesn't tot up too well when people compare it to previous teams position-by-position. Most arguments seem to be along the lines of "well Carrick/Evans/De Gea/Rafael/Welbeck wouldn't get in any of those other teams." But that's not how football works and in practice this team plays far better stuff than any United team post-Ronaldo. And I think it's probably better than any of the teams we built around Van Nistelrooy too.

Think the argument is that this lot couldn’t beat Basle at home.
Not sure how a team which reached the Champions League final, were competitive in Europe and didn’t lose to Blackburn at home could be better than a side which has Jonny Evans at the heart of defence and Danny Welbeck “leading” the line.

 

[Furball]

Manchester City looked like a team that just didn't believe they could win the league yesterday.

Will be interesting to see what they do this summer; my guess is try and take van Persie.

 

[Pothas]

Manchester City looked like a team that just didn't believe they could win the league yesterday.

Will be interesting to see what they do this summer; my guess is try and take van Persie.

Be Interesting to see if they keep Mancini, I know there were lots of Mourinho rumours last week, it is certainly the sort of job he would want to take on but think he denied interest this week.

Depends on what happens in Spain I suppose, there is now a real chance he won't win the league this year (which would be great) but not sure if that makes him less likely to leave or not, he certainly won't want to be judged as a failure.

 

[The Sean]

Mourinho pretty clearly wants the United job after Fergie - whether United wants him is another matter entirely - so I'm not sure he'd jeopardise that by going to City. He could be finished at Real though if they manage to blow the League this season. A ten point lead a few weeks back has now been cut to four - which is effectively one point seeing as it's a given that Barca will beat them when they play each other. Unless they win the Champions League, I can't such a capitulation going down well with dear Florentino, particularly after the phenomenal amounts of cash spent on that team.

 

[biased indian]

Mourinho pretty clearly wants the United job after Fergie - whether United wants him is another matter entirely - so I'm not sure he'd jeopardise that by going to City. He could be finished at Real though if they manage to blow the League this season. A ten point lead a few weeks back has now been cut to four - which is effectively one point seeing as it's a given that Barca will beat them when they play each other. Unless they win the Champions League, I can't such a capitulation going down well with dear Florentino, particularly after the phenomenal amounts of cash spent on that team.

but when is fergie going to leave ???..think if he is forced out of real due to how the result go ..he will be in city or chelsea